This year, two awards were granted – a 2016 Grand Boulevard Initiative Award and 10-Year Legacy Award, which commemorates a previously awarded project as an exemplary legacy project of the 10 years of the Grand Boulevard Initiative.

At an awards ceremony and special luncheon held last week sponsored by San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) and Dostart Development Company, LLC, GBI’s Task Force selected the following cities for the 2016 Grand Boulevard Initiative Award:

A total of 15 projects were nominated for the 2016 Grand Boulevard Initiative Awards and 17 projects nominated for the 10-Year Legacy Awards, for a total of 32 projects nominated and scored. Members scored each of the nominated projects based upon how well each project met the 10 Grand Boulevard Guiding Principles.

The GBI’s main goal is tomake the 43-mile stretch of El Camino live up to its full potential as a place for residents to work, live, shop and play. The GBI is committed to creating links between communities that promote walking and transit and an improved quality of life along the El Camino Real corridor, which connects San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

The GBI includes cities, counties, transit agencies, labor, environmentalists, business, developers and community leaders in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The San Mateo County Transit District staffs the Grand Boulevard Initiative with support from co-sponsors the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County, Joint Venture Silicon Valley and San Mateo Economic Development Association.

The San Mateo County Transit District is the administrative body for the principal public transit and transportation programs in San Mateo County: SamTrans bus service, including Redi-Wheels paratransit service, Caltrain commuter rail and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. Caltrain and the TA have contracted with the District to serve as their managing agency, under the direction of their boards of directors.